Paper cup



g 1, A. A. ADAMSON 2,168,186 I PAPER CUP Filed July 1, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 QNVENTOR ATTORNEY I Aug. 1, 1939.

A. A. ADAMSON PAPER CUP Filed July 1, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 1, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,168,186 PAPER our Allan A. Adanison, West New York, N. J. Application July 1, 1935, Serial No. 29,281

8 Claims. (01. 229-21) The object of the invention is an improved paper cup of the rigid i. e. non-folding, fiatagainst leakage and adapted to be formed, with a minimum of simple folding operations, from a one-piece blank, with economy of paper as compared with cups of like capacity now in use. These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the ensuing description and the accompanying drawings, of which Fig. 1 illustrates one form of blank for the improved cup; Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views of the cup in process of being formed from such a blank; Fig, 4 is a perspective view of the completed cup;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of three such cups,

nested together as for service from a dispenser;

' Fig. 6 shows another form of blank; Figs. '7 and 8 are perspective views of a cup in process of being formed from such a blank and Fig. 9 is a view of the completed cup.

According to my invention the cup bottom .is square or substantially so rather than circular, as in the cups commonly used, and 'in its preferred form the walls rise to a more or'less circular top.

The blank for making such a cup is best stamped out of hour-glass shape, as shown in Fig. 1, with the waist portion somewhat wider than the side of the square area I which is to form the bottom wall of the cup. The dotted lines comprising the sides of the square are fold lines, as will presently appear. From opposite sides of the square base area extend wings 2 and 3 a distance sufficient to provide the intended height of the cup and each of greater width than the side of the base to provide marginal portions 4 which project laterally beyond the sides of the square. Their outer edges are arcuate. By making the blanks symmetrical, as shown, there is no possibility of their being inserted or attempted to be inserted in the hopper of the cup-making machine other than the right way. Their handling is also facilitated. .At the sides of the waist of the blank and intermediate the pairs of marginal portions 4 certain cuts are made or areas stamped out, with the object of facilitating the folding operations and also providing simple but effective sealing means. These cuts or stamped-out areas serve to convert the surrounding parts of the blank intoa plurality of tab portions or foldable sealing extensions of the preferred form illustrated, the extensions bordering the side of the base area being marked 5 and those projecting toward each other from the basal edgesof the marginal portions 4 being marked 6. Such extensions merge into one another, as indicated, along dotted lines I, which are fold lines. The fold lines for extensions 6, marked 8, are at an acute angle with the sides of the square basearea to whichiextensions 5 are appendant. V bottomed type, neatly and effectively sealed In forming the cup from such a blank and as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the wings are folded up about the sides of the base. The marginal portions of the wings are then brought around along the other two sides of the base and overlapped to complete the cup side walls. At this stage (Fig.

3) extensions 5 will project downwardly, being so folded about the adjacent sides of the base; extensions 6 will likewise project downwardly and by virtue of fold 1 (Fig. 1) will engage extensions 5. Being deeper than extensions 5, extensions 6 will of course overlie and project beyond the former. To complete thecup .the two sets of extensions are bent toward one another and upwardly, each set into contact tom (Fig. 4).

As will be apparent, the described follding does not require complicated machinery but, .on the contrary, can be performed on .light and hence fast machines, and the folds are all of such character as to be performed surely and with prewith the cup hot- I cision and, in consequence, with a minimum of faces, comprising simply the extensions 6 and a narrow strip along the edges of marginal portions of the Wings, or one of them. c

When so shaped and glued, the blank effects a double-sealing of the cup bottom when folded up as described. The first sealing occurs when the stage illustrated in Fig. 3 is reached, at which time extensions 5 have already sealed the cup bottom by' their adherence to theopposed areas of extensions 6. The second and final sealing occurs when the thus-united extensions are bent upwardly and adhered (i. e. the extensions -6 only) to the cup bottom. Thus, with a minimum of thicknesses of paper, the cup bottom is effectively sealed, andincidentally reinforced. p v

7 While possessing the advantages herein referred to, square-bottomed paper cups of the character described are found to nest so snugly as to tend to resist separation by some of the simple forms of cup dispensing apparatus with which such cups could otherwise be used. As is well known, a like though lesser tendency is exhibited by the common smooth-walled frustoconical type of paper cup but the same is or may 'struction.

be obviated in such cups by setting the bottom of the cup (which is a separate piece) a short distance above the base of the cup walls so that when such cups are nested the walls are not in close adhering contact.

The 'cup of this invention, however, lends itself readily to another and more simple method of treatment in this regard, which consists in indenting say two opposite side walls (or all four of them if desired) near the cup bottom so as to form steps upon which any like cup inserted into the same will rest In Fig. 4 such a construction is illustrated, the reference characters 9 indicating such a step or shoulder formed on all four sides of the cup and extending entirely across the cup wall, which is preferred, and in Fig. 5 are shown three nested cups embodying this con- As'will be observed, the bottom of cup l0 rests on the steps 9 of cup II with the result that the cup walls are slightly spaced and hence no difliculty whatsoever is experienced in separating them.

Figs. 4 and 5 also illustrate a simple and preferred method of finishing the tops of the cups if not desired to be left as shown in Fig. 3. It consists in flaring the rim somewhat, as at l2, which shape has been found to .be convenient and to engage the lips of the user without discomfort.

It will be understood, of course, that the edge or rim may be rolled if desired.

' Referring now to the form of the invention "illustrated in' Figs. 6-9, it will be observed that .the blank is of the same general configuration andthatthe same general plan of construction obtains.

This blank differs, however, from that already described in respect to the sealing tabs. In this case the larger, triangular extensions, marked l3, are appended to opposite sides of the square base area I, and the narrower extensions, marked M,

' project from the basal edges of the marginal portions 4 of wings 2 and 3. i I

While presenting the advantages above alluded to, this form of blank contemplates a somewhat diiferent method'of folding.

. convenient dispenser service.

As illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, extensions Mare folded down on top of extensions 13 when the wings are bent up and brought together, and, in the next step (Fig.

9) the exposed glued tips of extensions l3 are bent upwardly into engagement with the side walls of the cup. Particularly when using heavy weight papers, as for large size cups, it has been found desirable to shorten extensions l4 so that they terminate as along the: line [5. In the result, the preliminary seal will close the corners only of the cup bottom but the advantage is secured that instead of five only three thicknesses of paper occur when extensions l3 are bent up and adhered to the cup sides.

In Fig. 9 the finished cup is shown with the same flared top as in Figs. 4 and 5 and with similar indentations 9 adapting, the cup for more 7 In'this instance, however, the indentations are provided only on two opposite side walls of the cup.

I claim:

1. A paper cup blank consisting of a substantially square area of a size appropriate for the cup bottom, wings extending one from each of two opposite sides of said area a distance sufficient to provide the intended height of the cup and each of sufficiently greater width than the side of said area to provide marginal portions projecting laterally beyond the sides of said area far enough to cause the edges of one wing to overlap the edges of the other when said wings are bent up and their said marginal portions brought together to form the cup sides, and foldable sealing extensions on the basal edges of said marginal portions and also on the other two sides of said substantially square area.

2. A paper cup blank of approximately hourglass shapeand having a portion stamped out at each side of the waist thereof of such shape as to form a plurality of foldable sealing extensions on each side, two of which are of triangular form and adapted to be folded about their bases to bring their apices into immediate sealing contact with an adjacent cup wall.

'3. A paper cup blank of approximately hourjacent portion of the blank into three foldable sealing extensions, one of which is adapted to be folded to engage the other two.

4. A paper cup blank comprising a square area ,v

dimensioned appropriately to form the bottom of the cup and having wings projecting from two opposite sides of the square a distance equal to the height of the cup and each of a width sufglass shape and cut at each side of the waist thereof so as to convert each immediately adficientlygreater than a side of the square ton.

cause said wings to overlap for sealing when bent up and brought together to form the cup sides, and foldable sealing extensions on said wings and on the other two sides of said square area, intermediate and separate from said wings.

5. A paper cup blank consisting of a substantially square area of a size appropriate for the cup bottom, wings extending one from each of two opposite sides of said area a distance sufficient to provide the intended height of the cup and each of sufficiently greater width than the 4 side of said area to provide marginal portions projecting laterally beyond the sides of said area far enough to cause the edges of one wing to overlap proximately hour-glass shape, with portions cut T out at each side of the waist thereof, and folded to produce a substantially square bottom, two opposite sides of the cup adjacent said bottom being indented to form steps on the inside of the cup, for the purpose described.

7. A paper cup blank of approximately hourglass shape having portions cut out at the sides of the waist thereof, the areas immediately adjacent said cut-out portions forming a plurality of foldable sealing extensions.

8. A one-piece, rigid paper cup having cup walls and a square bottom wall, foldable sealing extensions on two opposite edges of such bottom wall and on adjacent cup walls, certain of said extensions on each side of said cup being glued to each other and to a wall of the cup.

ALLAN A. ADAMSON. 

